Review Bombing
Ongoing coverage on Review Bombing.
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Indie dev defends criticism of Steam refund abuse amid review bombing of his game: 'It's wrong to refund a…
Indie developer Mateo Covic has spoken out against players who refund games on Steam after completing them, despite his own game, Paddle Paddle Paddle, experiencing a high refund rate. Covic clarified that his frustration stems from players bragging about finishing and refunding games, not the refund policy itself. The controversy has led to some review bombing of his game, though he maintains his stance that completing a game and then refunding it is unethical.
"No thanks!" - Assassin's Creed Black Flag remake Resynced being review bombed on Steam for single-player microtransactions
The remake of Assassin's Creed Black Flag, titled Resynced, is facing review bombing on Steam due to the inclusion of single-player microtransactions, including those offering gameplay advantages. Despite initial revenue success for publisher Ubisoft, player reviews have shifted to 'Mixed' as users express frustration over the perceived excessive cost of DLC and in-game purchases, particularly after buying the Deluxe Edition.
Latest EA sports game review bombed over single-player microtransactions
Players are review bombing EA Sports College Football 27 due to the inclusion of microtransactions in its single-player modes, a feature not present in preview builds. Despite significant backlash and internal developer frustration, Electronic Arts is reportedly unlikely to remove the controversial monetization, drawing parallels to the Star Wars: Battlefront 2 controversy. The game is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC.
Marathon and Destiny fans engage in a brief digital war of Steam user reviewbombing
Fans of Destiny 2 have reportedly review-bombed the Steam page for Bungie's upcoming game Marathon, expressing frustration over perceived resource diversion. The negative reviews, which called Marathon trash and inferior to Destiny 2, were met with a surge of positive reviews from Marathon defenders. The situation appears to have subsided after three days, with Steam reviews returning to a more balanced state.
Destiny 2 and Marathon fans are waging a review war following end-of-development announcement
Fans of Destiny 2 and Marathon are engaging in a "review war" on platforms like Steam following Bungie's announcement of significant changes to the development of both titles. This backlash highlights player dissatisfaction with the studio's recent decisions.
Destiny Players Review Bomb Marathon Only to Be Met With Countercampaign from Bungie Fans
Destiny players have initiated a review bombing campaign against the upcoming game Marathon on Steam. However, fans of developer Bungie have responded with a countercampaign, leaving positive reviews to defend the title.
Marathon Steam reviews take a hit as Destiny 2 fans react to news of the MMO ending updates after nearly 9 years:…
Bungie has announced that Destiny 2 will receive its final live-service update next month, ending nearly nine years of new content. In response, some players have begun review bombing Bungie's new game, Marathon, on Steam. This comes amidst reports of significant layoffs planned at Bungie and Sony's reported impairment losses against the studio's assets.
"Entire nations will hate you": Steam expert warns devs to use good regional pricing and localization if they don't want Silksong-style review bombs
An expert warns game developers that ignoring regional pricing and proper localization can lead to negative reviews and player backlash, citing examples like Hollow Knight: Silksong and Slay the Spire 2. Tom Kaczmarczyk of IndieBI emphasized that failing to adapt prices and provide good localization, especially for markets like China, can significantly suppress sales and damage a game's reputation.
'Rest in Peace' — Party Animals Review-Bombed Over AI Video Contest
The co-op game Party Animals is facing a wave of negative reviews following the announcement of a $15,000 AI video contest. Hundreds of players have reportedly review-bombed the game in response to the contest.
Party Animals holds an AI-Slop contest, leading to their Steam page getting review bombed
Party Animals has faced significant backlash and review bombing on its Steam page following the announcement of an "AI Video Contest" offering a $75,000 prize. Players are protesting the studio's embrace of generative AI, citing concerns about environmental impact and job displacement for human artists. The contest rules, which mandate AI-generated submissions and prohibit original artwork, have further fueled player discontent.
Slay The Spire 2 Is Fantastic, So Why Is It Being Review-Bombed?
Slay the Spire 2 is experiencing a significant review bombing on Steam, shifting from "Overwhelmingly Positive" to "Mostly Negative" ratings. This backlash appears to be primarily driven by Chinese players, who are frustrated with recent balance changes, particularly those affecting "infinites," and perceive review bombing as a primary communication channel with developers. The article explores the cultural nuances and community practices that may contribute to this phenomenon, while also questioning the effectiveness of such tactics.
Steam Gets Major Feature Update: Non-Steam Game Tracking | HappyGamer
Steam has quietly rolled out a new feature that tracks playtime for non-Steam games, aiming to become a central hub for all PC gaming activity. This move puts pressure on other launchers like Epic Games Store and GOG. Meanwhile, the indie game Legends of Wasteland launched its full version after early access, and the industry continues to grapple with issues like review bombing.
Steam Game Allegedly Developed by Suspected Gunman at Trump White House Press Dinner Is Being Review-Bombed
A game allegedly developed by the suspect who attempted to storm the White House Correspondents' Dinner is reportedly being review-bombed on Steam. The individual reportedly identified himself as an indie game developer.
Trump shooting suspect's Steam game sees review bomb, spike in activity
The Steam game Bohrdom, developed by Cole Thomas Allen, has experienced a surge in activity and a wave of review bombing following reports that Allen is the suspect in a White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting incident. Discussion forums for the asymmetric fighting game have become a focal point for political debate and memes. Former Kotaku editor-in-chief Stephen Totilo observed the increased player activity on the game's forums.
Alleged Trump shooter is a game developer—and people are rushing to review bomb his Steam releases
Cole Allen, the alleged shooter at a recent White House event, is a game developer who released a title called Bohrdom on Steam in 2018. Following the news, internet users are purchasing the game to leave satirical reviews, many referencing the shooting incident. Allen also reportedly has another game, First Law, in development.
Slay the Spire 2 plummets to 66% positive lifetime Steam reviews as players seethe after first major update: "Preventing players from deckbuilding in a deckbuilder"
Slay the Spire 2 has seen a significant increase in negative Steam reviews following its first major update, with players criticizing limitations on deckbuilding and increased difficulty. The update has led to a lifetime review score of 66% positive, with recent reviews at 48% positive. Developers Mega Crit are facing criticism over balance changes that some feel detract from the core deckbuilding experience.
Slay the Spire 2 Review-Bombing
Slay the Spire 2 on PC has experienced a second wave of review bombing on Steam, causing its overall review score to drop to 'Mixed'. This surge in negative reviews was reportedly triggered by a recent game update.
Slay the Spire 2 devs were caught off guard by 13,000 negative Steam review spike: "It was much more extreme than…
Mega Crit co-founder Casey Yano addressed a recent spike of over 13,000 negative Steam reviews for Slay the Spire 2, noting that while he is accustomed to harsh feedback, newer team members were surprised. The negative reviews were reportedly tied to a specific balance change rather than external factors, and Yano highlighted efforts to improve communication channels with players, particularly in China.
Slay the Spire 2 players leave over 9,000 negative Steam reviews in one day over a card nerf that hasn't even gone live yet—but China's Steam restrictions might bear some of the blame
Slay the Spire 2 players have left over 9,000 negative Steam reviews in response to a balance patch in the game's beta branch, specifically targeting a nerf to the Silent's 'Prepared' card. The review bombing appears to be largely driven by players in China, where Steam community features are restricted, leading them to use reviews as their primary feedback channel.
